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Baltimore cites Five Below for selling children's jewelry with excessive lead levels

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Updated: 10:11 AM EDT Jul 2, 2015

Baltimore City Health Department

The Baltimore City Health Department cited Five Below and Target for selling children's jewelry with excessive lead levels at their respective Canton locations. The earrings (left) were sold at Five Below while the Hello Kitty set was sold at Target.

SOURCE: Baltimore City Health Department

Baltimore cites Five Below for selling children's jewelry with excessive lead levels

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Updated: 10:11 AM EDT Jul 2, 2015

BALTIMORE —

Five Below received violation notices from the Baltimore City Health Department for selling children’s jewelry that contained excess levels of lead.

The items were purchased June 12 at the retail chains’ Canton locations on Boston Street during a random sampling by a city health department environmental health inspector and sent to an independent laboratory for testing.

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The items in question were an earring set from Five Below that contained a lead level of between 150 and 190 parts per million.

The Health Department originally said that it cited the Target in Canton for selling a Hello Kitty Necklace with a silver charm that had 110 parts per million. However, the department said that test was an error and there was no violation.

According to the health department, excessive lead levels are anything over 100 parts per million. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has been alerted.

“These items sell for just a few dollars but they are hardly a bargain,” said Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City Health Commissioner in a statement. “We know that the health impact and true costs of lead poisoning can last a lifetime. We need everyone’s help as we protect the health of children in our city.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, lead exposure, even in low doses, have been linked to lower IQ scores, school failure, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and deficits in vocabulary, fine motor skills, reaction time and hand-eye coordination.

In addition, excess lead levels in children can severely impair development and can even cause death. Health officials warn that parents should make sure children don’t swallow, suck on or chew a metal charm or necklace jewelry to reduce the chances of lead poisoning.

Health Department officials said that since 2007, they have randomly tested nearly 350 items for lead and issued 50 violation notices during that time.

The Health Department said children’s jewelry is one of the most common items to contain excess levels of lead. This included a multicolored bangle bracelet they inspected in 2013 that contained lead levels of 2,500 parts per million.